watts



(No Model.)

T. T. WATTS. AXLE ,LUBRIGATR No. 589,451'. Patented sept. 7, 1897.

- IHK/emma' Theodore 7.' mlvs,

Wie-messes By IJ Bnmeys, I

plied thereto.

lUNrrnn STATES PATENT Ormea.

THEODORE T. WAT'VS, OF LYSANDER, OHflO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. C.BURSON AND SAMUEL K. BURSON, OF SAME PLACE.

AX L'E- LU BRICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part -of Letters Patent N o. 589,451, datedSeptember '7, 1897.

Application iiled October 3, 1896. Serial No. 607,786. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

13e it known that I, THEoDoRE THOMAS WATTS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lysander, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Axle-Lubricator, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to axle-lubricators, and has for its object toprovide, i-n connection with the ordinary Vehicle-axle and spindle,alubricating device which will contain a supply of oil or lubricatingmaterial and in which provision is made for feeding said oil to thespindle in any desired quantity and at such times as may be convenient.

The device contains a cut-oft' for stopping the iiow of oil to thespindle and is also designed to take the place of t-he ordinary axleclipor 'chill-coupling.

Vith the above objects in View the invention consists in an improvedaxle-lubricator embodying certain novel features and details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the endportion of an axle, showing the improved lubricator ap Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective View of the end of the axle, showing the groove or recessfor the reception of the oil-trough. Fig. et is a detail perspectiveview of the oil-trough. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken in line with thebutton which operates the slide or cut-off.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 designates an ordinary vehicle-axle, and 2 thespindle, the latter being provided on its upper side with a longitudinalgroove 3, through which oil is fed to the spindle throughout its entirelength. Upon the top of the axle is arranged a tapering strip 4.-, whichextends from the end of the axle'l inward and is provided in its uppersurface with a recess 5, into which is fitted a metal trough G forconveying the lubricating material to the spindle, said trough beinggiven a gentle inclination downward toward the spindle, as shown. At thejunction of the axle 1 with the spindle 2 is located and permanentlysecured a collar or disk 7, which is provided with an aperture 8,alining with the end of the trough C, through which the oil passes tothe spindle and through which one end of the cut-olf slide moves.

A metal casing 9 is fitted over the top and sides of the axle l andtapering piece 4, said casing being substantially U -shaped incrosssection and provided at its depending edges withpermanently-attached thread-bolts 10, which extend below the bottom ofthe axle 1 and receive washer-plates 11 and nuts 12, like an ordinaryaxle-clip or thill-coupling, whereby the casing of the lubricator issecured to the axle. Upon its front side the casing 9 has rigidforwardly-projecting ears 13, which are spaced apart to receive theusual thilliron and perforated to receive the pin or bolt of thethill-coupling in a manner that will be readily understood, vthelubricator thus subserving the function of the ordinary thillcoupling inaddition to its primary function.

At or near its inner end the casing 9 is provided With an oil-receptacle14, the upper end of which is open to receive a supply of oil andthreaded to receive a cap or cover 15. The oilreceptacle 1i communicateswith the trough (i through a small opening 16 in the upper wall of thecasing 9, and this opening is closed by means of a slide or cut-off 17,Which extends longitudinally beneath the top wall of the casing 9 and incontact therewith. A longitudinal slot 17 is formed in the upper Wall ofthe casing 9 to receive the shank of a slide-button 1S, which shankconnects with the slide or cut-off 17. Connected to the shank of thebutton above the case 9 is a guide-plate 19, which moves between spacedguides or ribs 20, thus preventing the slide 17 from turning sidewise.At or near its inner end the slide or cnt-off 17 is provided with anopening 21, which, by means of the button 18, may be moved so as toregister with the opening 16 in thc top of the casing for admitting oilto the trough G whenever it is desired to lubricate the spindle.

The slide 17 is preferably of spring metal, and its forward end portionis bent down- IDO wardly and then outwardly to form thc shoull der 22.The extreme end portion 23 bears frictionally against the outer endportion of the trough 6 when the slide is in its retracted position, asshown in Fig. 2, to permit the discharge of oil from the receptacle 14.Vhen, however, the slide is in its extreme forward position and thesupply of oil is cut off, the part 23 will project through the opening Sin the collar 7 and be seated in the groove 24 in the enlarged portion25 of the spindle, and the shoulder 22 will engage the end of the trough6 and thereby lock the slide againstaccidentaldisplacement. The shoulder22 can, however, be easily disengaged from the end of the trough bypushing on the button 1S.

When the spindle becomes dry and shows a tendency to become heated, bysliding the button 1S inward any desired quantity of oil may be allowedto flow into the trough and thence to the spindle, after which thebutton may be slid outward f'or cutting off .the flow of oil.

rlhe device is very simple, may be manufactured cheaply, and will befound of great convenience and utility upon vehicle-axles in general.

The device is of course susceptible of changes in the form, proportion,and minor details of' construction, which may accordingly be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. Anaxle, provided'with a longitudinal recess, in combination with anoil-receptacle 1ocated above the plane of said recess, a slide operatingbetween said receptacle and recess for admitting oil to the recess orcutting off the supply, a button connected to said slide and arrangedwithin reach, whereby the slide may be operated, and a locking-shoulderon the slide to engage a fixed part of the device to prevent accidentaldisplacement of' the slide, substantially as described.

2. An axle provided with a longitudinal recess for conveying oil to thespindle, in comv bination with a casin g fitted over the axle andsecured thereon, an oil'receptacle arranged above said casing and havingan opening communicating with the recess in the axle, a slide operatingbetween the casing and axle and extending under the oil-receptacle andprovided with an opening adapted to register with the opening in thereceptacle, a button for operating and a locking-shoulder on the slideto engage a fixed part of the device to prevent accidentaldisplacementof the slide,l

substantially as described.

3. The combination with an axle provided in its upper surface withalongitudinal recess, and an oil-trough fitted in said recess, of acasing fitted over the axle and embracing the sides thereof, anoil-receptacle on said casing having a discharge-opening arranged abovesaid trough, a slide for opening and closing said opening, a button foroperating said slide, a guide-plate connected rigidly to said button andslide, and spaced guides ou the casin g between which said guide-platemoves, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an axle provided in its upper surface with alongitudinal oilconducting recess, of a collar arranged at the junctionof the axle with the spindle land formed with an aperture alining withthe end of said recess, a casing fitted over the axle and covering saidrecess, an oil-receptacle on the casing having a discharge-opening oversaid recess, a cut-off slide mounted between the casing and axle andmoving across the discharge-opening of the oil-receptacle and having itsouter end Working through the aperture in the collar and bearing againstthe spindle, and means for operating said slide, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE T. VATTS. lVitnesses:

C. B. PIERCE, C. D. HOPKINS.

